Electrical connector



Feb. 20, 1951 v w, H cH 2,542,084

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 7, 1947 HUI HITIHTIHHH U-- if :1 f; FIGS. /X L;

1 FIGS /7 I I INVE'MTOR WILLIAM HRAcH, .B/

HTTo/eA/Ev Patented Feb. 20, 1951 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR William Hrach, Richmond Heights, Mo., assignor to James It. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 7, 1947, Serial No. 753,168 2 Claims. (01. 24-124 This invention relates generally to electrical connectors of the type adapted to electrically and mechanically connect together a plurality of electrical conductors for producing electrical connections between such conductors and more specifically to electrical connectors of the split-bolt type, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a connector of this type which, because of its improved construction and arrangement, may be economically produced, and will perform its intended function in a highly efficient manner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved connector of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the conductor fragments shown in Fig. 2 being in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, portions of the connector being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the bolt of the improved connector of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the connector showing the relation of the bolt and the follower thereof when the connector is to be applied to a conductor by passing the bolt of the connector over the conductor.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved connector generally. The connector A comprises a bolt l which is provided with a polygonal, tool-receiving head 2 at one end thereof, said bolt being provided with a longitudinally extended slot 3 which is open at the end of the bolt opposite to the headed end thereof and the opposite end of said slot terminating in a wire seat 4 located at the under side of the head 2 of said bolt. The spaced legs 5 of the bolt l at opposite sides of the slot 3 have formed therein at their inner faces related segmental recesses B which extend longitudinally of the slot, the faces of these recesses being provided with matching screwthreads. Thus, the bolt I of the connector A has formed therein a screwthreaded opening of approximately circular cross-sectional shape which extends longitudinally of the slot 3 from end to end thereof, said opening performing a function to be hereinafter set forth.

Supported by the bolt l of the connector A is a follower l which comprises an annular element 8 which embraces the spaced legs 5 of the bolt. The annular element 8 is provided at its top with a bar 9 which preferably is formed integral with the annular wall portion of said element 8 and which extends transversely of said annular wall portion from side to side thereof. The bar 8 has formed in its bottom face a recess it (Fig. 2) that receives the upper end portion of an adjusting screw H, the annular wall of the annular element 8 being provided at its bottom with a pair of integrally formed, inwardly bent fingers 52 which underlie marginal portions of the bottom face of the adjusting screw H, as is shown in Fig. 2, so that the upper portion of said adjusting screw is maintained in the recess it of the bar 9. Thus, the adjusting screw H is so assembled with the annular element 8 of the follower l as to permit of rotation of said adjusting screw with respect to said annular element, and because the upper portion of the adjusting screw is maintained in the recess IU of the transverse bar 9 of the annular element 8 by the fingers [2, said adjusting screw is located at all times in its proper centered position relative to the annular element 8.

When the follower I is mounted on the bolt l of the connector A the spaced legs extend through the annular element 8 of said follower at opposite sides of the bar 9 thereof and the screwthreads of the adjusting screw II are in screwthreaded engagement with the screwthreaded faces of the segmental recesses 6. The adjusting screw II is provided with an opening [3 of suitable non-circular cross-sectional shape which receives a tool portion of corresponding cross-sectional shape for rotating said adjusting screw, said adjusting screw being rotated with the aid of said tool to cause it to travel screwthreadedly longitudinally within the bolt I, the annular element 8 traveling with said adjusting screw in a straight-line manner because of the unitary assembled relationship of said parts.

It is obvious from the foregoing that with a pair of conductors, such as the conductors Ca and Cb of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, arranged in the upper portion of the slot 3 of the bolt l of the connector A, the follower I may be adjusted upwardly of the bolt I by rotating the adjusting screw 1! l in the proper direction to cause the conductors to be securely clamped between the bar 9 of the annular element 8 of the follower 1 and the wire seat A at the upper end of the slot 3 of the bolt I. In this manner the conductors are securely clamped together mechanically, and good electrical connection between said conductors is obtained.

When the connector A is being applied to a conductor whose opposite ends are fixed in position, such, for instance, an overhead power line, it is necessary that the follower I be removed from the bolt I of the connector in order that the bolt may be passed over the conductor to position a portion of said conductor in the upper end portion of the bolt slot 3. When the follower 1 of a connector is entirely removed from the bolt thereof there is an ever-present danger that the follower may be accidentally dropped by the person applying the connector, and when this occurs when a connector is being applied to a conductor in a highly elevated position, to an overhead power line, for instance, considerable inconvenience and annoyance may be occasioned.

In order to prevent such falling away of the follower from the bolt of a connector, the connector of the present invention includes a followerretainer which comprises a short length of flexible wire I4, or other suitable flexible material. One end portion of the length of ma terial I4 is secured, by soldering or otherwise, to the head portion of the bolt I of the connector within and at the upper end of a groove I5 which is formed in an outer surface portion of the connector bolt and which extends in a straight line from top to bottom of said bolt (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5). The annular wall of the annular element 8 of the follower 1 has secured to its inner face by solder, or otherwise, a semicircular strip of material I6 which provides a loop through which the opposite end portion of the length a flexible material I l extends, the lower end of the length of flexible material being thereafter enlarged by bunching, or with the aid of solder, so as to provide a head I4 which will not pass through the loop. The loop provided by the semicircular strip of material I6 extends into the groove I5 formed in the outer face of the bolt of the connector and moves longitudinally thereof during adjustment of the follower 1 longitudinally of the connector bolt.

Because of presence of the above-described follower retaining means as a part of the improved connector of the present invention, the follower I is prevented from falling away from the bolt of the connector because of the fact that the length of flexible material I I connects the follower to the connector bolt at all times when said follower is dismounted from the connector bolt. Also, because of the flexible nature of the length of material I4 it presents no interference with the taping of the connector when said connector is in its operative position, as the lower portion of said length of material will move downwardly relative to the loop provided by the strip of material I6 so as to dispose said length of material I4 within the groove I5.

The bolt I of the connector A is provided at its lower end, and at opposite sides of the groove I5, with a pair of inclined shoulders I! from which are extended downwardly inclined faces I8, said inclined faces being formed partly in outer surface portions of the connector bolt and partly in outer surface portions of spaced extensions I9 which project downwardly from the lower end of said connector bolt at opposite sides of the groove I5, as is shown to good advantage in Fig. 5. The function of this arrangement is to permit the bolt I and the follower I of the connector A to be disposed in the relation shown in Fig. 6 when circumstances require that the bolt be passed over a conductor to position a portion of the conductor in the upper portion of the bolt slot. In other words; the inclined shoulders I1 are seated upon top edge portions of the annular wall of the annular element 8 so as to stabilize the connector bolt and the follower in the related positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6, where said related parts of the connector may be grasped by a single hand of a person applying the connector and may be passed onto the conductor by arranging the lower end of the bolt slot in alinement with the conductor and moving the bolt downwardly relative to the conductor. When the connector bolt and the follower of the connector are disposed as shown in Fig. 6 the semicircular strip I6 of the annular element of the follower is extended between the spaced extensions I9 of the connector bolt.

When the connector bolt has been applied to a conductor, the conductor Ca, for instance, in the manner described immediately above the follower 1 is applied to the lower end of the connector bolt and the adjusting screw I I is screwthreadedly adjusted toward the upper end of the bolt slot by rotating said adjusting screw with the aid of a suitable tool, the second conductor Cb having been previously introduced into the bolt slot in contact with the conductor Ca, and said conductors are securely clamped together between the bar 9 of the follower and the wire seat 4 at the upper end of the bolt slot when the follower reaches the appropriate elevated position.

I claim:

1. A connector for connecting electrical conductors comprising a bolt having a slot form-ed longitudinally thereof, said slot being open at an end thereof at an end of said bolt and being open at opposed side portions of said bolt, the end of said slot opposite to the open end thereof terminating in a wire seat, related segmental recesses formed in the portions of said bolt which are located at opposite sides of said slot, the faces of said recesses being provided with matching screwthreads, a follower mounted on said bolt for movement longitudinally thereof, said follower comprising an annular wall which embraces said bolt and is provided with a bar that extends transversely of said annular wall from side to side thereof and passes through said bolt slot, an adjusting screw arranged at its upper end in rotative engagement with said bar, and fingers formed on said annular wall of the follower which extend. inwardly and engage the lower face of said adjusting screw for confining said adjusting screw for rotation relative to said annular wall between said fingers and said bar, the screwthreads of said adjusting screw being arranged in screethreaded engagement with the screwthreads of said segmental recesses whereby rotation of said adjusting screw will cause the follower to move longitudinally of said bolt, spaced inclined shoulders formed on said bolt adjacent to the lower end thereof, and spaced extensions formed on said bolt at the lower end thereof adjacent to said shoulders and having a curved bolt portion therebetween, said shoulders being adapted to engage an edge portion of said follower and said curved bolt portion being adapted to engage said adjusting screw when the follower is dismounted from the bolt so as to cause said bolt and follower to assume a relationship which permits convenient application of the connector to an electrical conductor.

2. A connector comprising a bolt having a slot formed longitudinally thereof, said slot being open at an end thereof at an end of said bolt and being open at opposed side portions of said bolt, the end of said slot opposite to the open end thereof terminating in a wire seat, related segmental recesses formed in the portions of said bolt which are located at oppositesides of said slot, the faces of said recesses being provided with matching screwthreads, a follower mounted on said bolt for movement longitudinally thereof, said follower comprising an annular wall which embraces said bolt and is provided with a bar that extends transversely of said annular wall from side to side thereof and passes through said bolt slot, an adjusting screw arranged at its upper end in rotative engagement with said bar, and fingers formed on said annular wall of the follower which extend inwardly and engage the lower face of said adjusting screw for confining said adjusting screw for rotation relative to said annular wall between said fingers and said bar, the screwthreads of said adjusting screw being arranged in screwthreaded engagement with the screwthreads of said segmental recesses whereby rotation of said adjusting screw will cause thefollower to move longitudinally of said bolt, spaced inclined shoulders formed on said bolt adjacent to the lower end thereof,:spaced extensions formed on said bolt at the lower end thereof adjacent to said shoulders, and follower-retaining means for connecting said follower to said bolt when the follower is dismounted from the bolt, said follower-retaining means comprising a length of flexible material which is connected at one of its ends to said bolt and at its opposite end to said follower.

WILLIAM HRACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

